Featured Student Org of the Week: Active Minds

What is the name of your organization? Do you go by any nicknames or abbreviations?

Active Minds

What is the purpose/mission of your organization?

The purpose of Active Minds is to utilize the student voice to change the conversation about mental health on campus. Our mission is to provide mental health education and advocacy in an effort to increase students’ awareness of mental health issues. Our organization accomplishes our mission by providing both students and the community with information and resources regarding mental health. We also encourage students to seek help as soon as it is needed, and we serve as a liaison between students and the mental health community. Through campus-wide events and national programs, Active Minds aims to remove the stigma that surrounds mental health issues, and to create a comfortable environment for an open conversation about mental health issues and to advocate for change on campus.

What days/times does your organization typically meet? Do you have any upcoming/recurring events you would like to be made known?

We meet every other Monday from 6:30pm – 7:30pm usually in the IMU. However, we attend other events on campus that focus on different mental health aspects during our meeting times as well! We are most known for our “Field of Memories” in the fall that is in conjunction with Suicide Awareness Month. We place approximately 1200 flags on the Pentacrest to represent each college student that completes suicide each year. We will also be in the University of Iowa’s second-ever “mental health” fair in the spring, Fresh Check Day!

Why did you personally get involved with this organization? What makes you passionate about this organization? (If at all possible, please have ~3 members answer one of these questions!)

I personally joined this organization because mental health IS my passion! I truly believe that every deserves to feel as though they belong and that they are never alone in any mental health struggles they may be having. I also love that Active Minds strives not only for breaking the stigma surrounding mental health but also advocating for change on campus.